The major pathways of mRNA turnover in eukaryotes initiate with shortening of the polyA tail. CAF1 Swiss:P39008 encodes a critical component of the major cytoplasmic deadenylase in yeast. Both Caf1p is required for normal mRNA deadenylation in vivo and localises to the cytoplasm. Caf1p copurifies with a Ccr4p-dependent polyA-specific exonuclease activity. Some members of this family include and inserted RNA binding domain Pfam:PF01424. This family of proteins is related to other exonucleases Pfam:PF00929 (Bateman A pers. obs.). The crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pop2 (Swiss:P39008) has been resolved at 2.3 Angstrom resolution [3].

1: The transcription factor associated Ccr4 and Caf1 proteins are components of the major cytoplasmic mRNA deadenylase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Tucker M, Valencia-Sanchez MA, Staples RR, Chen J, Denis CL, Parker R; Cell 2001;104:377-386. PMID:11239395

2: The deadenylating nuclease (DAN) is involved in poly(A) tail removal during the meiotic maturation of Xenopus oocytes. Korner CG, Wormington M, Muckenthaler M, Schneider S, Dehlin E, Wahle E; EMBO J 1998;17:5427-5437. PMID:9736620

3: X-ray structure and activity of the yeast Pop2 protein: a nuclease subunit of the mRNA deadenylase complex. Thore S, Mauxion F, Seraphin B, Suck D; EMBO Rep 2003;4:1150-1155. PMID:14618157